Three-stack, three-color quantum-well infrared photodetector for mid-, long-, and very long-wavelength infrared detection

A high-performance three-stack, three-color quantum-well infrared photodetector for the mid-, long-, and very long-wavelength infrared detection has been developed in this work. The detection bandwidths with full-width at half-maximum are 5.9-7.0, 9.1-11.2, and 12.2-16.9 mum, which cover the major portion or entire range of the three atmospheric blocking bands: the water band (5.5-7.5 mum), the ozone band (9.4-9.9 mum), and the carbon dioxide band (14-16 mum). Values of the dark-current detectivity were found to be D*=8.5x10(12) cm Hz(1/2)/W at T=40 K, V-b=-1.3 V, and lambda (p)=6.5 mum for the mid-wavelength infrared stack; D-*=1.5x10(10) cm Hz(1/2)/W at T=40 K, V-b=-1.4 V, and lambda (p)=10.1 mum for the long-wavelength infrared stack, and D-*=1.2x10(11) cm Hz(1/2)/W at T=30 K, V-b=-1.1 V, and lambda (p)=15.1 mum for the very long-wavelength infrared stack. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.